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Red blood cells are stored for as long as 42 days prior to transfusion. Because prolonged storage induces red cell deterioration, the freshest units are often selected for transfusion of critically ill patients. However, the value of this practice is unclear.
To determine whether the duration of blood storage affects patient survival, investigators conducted a multicenter, randomized, blinded trial of 2430 patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Half of the patients received fresh red cells that were stored for a mean of 6.1 days (range, 1.2–11.0 days), and half received older red cells that were stored for a mean of 22.0 days (range, 13.6–30.4 days). Patients received a mean of 4.3 red cell units.
Ninety-day all-cause mortality (the pri…